This invention relates to a high capacity compact filter for the filtration of parenteral solutions including blood. More particularly it relates to a filter which by means of its construction can filter a volume of liquid at least twice the capacity of another filter of the same length.
In the I.V. and blood administration field there is a need for filter units which not only will provide the usual filtering effect but also those which can effect filtration and do so at as high capacity as possible. The capacity of a filter unit is important in parenteral solutions or blood administration sets in that they are disposable. Consequently, the least amount of material which is required for their manufacture will result in a lower cost. A blood filter generally of the type concerned with in this invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,889. Filters providing a high degree of contact between a filter element and the material to be filtered are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,016,116 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,079,366.
Nowhere in the prior art is there provided a filter unit specifically constructed for use in the filtering of parenteral solutions or blood wherein two filter units are in effect formed in a side-by-side relationship so that a high capacity filter unit results. Neither is there provided a filter unit which is easily sterilized and can be composed of plastic material so as to be disposable. The filter unit of this invention is also easily manufactured and lends itself to being formed as a component part of a combined drip chamber and filter unit.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a novel filter for an I.V. or blood administration set. Other advantages are a filter unit which is compact, has a high capacity flow rate, can be composed of relatively inexpensive materials, yet can be sterilized. The filter unit of this invention also lends itself to being easily fabricated into units normally employed in conjunction with a blood or parenteral solution administration set such as a drip chamber.